On this day in comedy on June 9, 1980, Comedian, Writer, Actor, Richard Pryor set himself on fire.
In an incident fraught in mystery and conflicting versions, the end result was that one of the greatest comedians of all time was in critical condition with second and third-degree burns over 50% of his body. It was the culmination of days of uninterrupted freebase cocaine use during a break while filming Bustin’ Loose. In the pre-crack era of hitting the pipe, Pryor had been ingesting virtually pure coke into his system and at one point made an almost fatal decision. He poured 151 proof rum all over his body and lit himself on fire. The immediate result was Richard Pryor running down Parthenia Street from his Los Angeles residence in plain sight, being rescued by police and taken to the hospital. The aftermath was a circus.
While Pryor laid prone in hospital wear fighting for his life the spin doctors went to work. His friend and business partner at the time, Jim Brown, insisted it was an accident. His daughter, Rain, claimed it was drug-induced psychosis. Of course, there were other theories – there was an explosion, a faulty lighter, a mistake. Then came the truth from the horse’s own mouth. Pryor had tried to commit suicide.
Following 6 weeks of recovery at the Herpolscheimer Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital, Pryor went back to work and made the incident the gift that kept on giving. Two years later he joked about it in his concert special, Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip. That was supposed to have been his final performance. Instead, the seemingly recovered artist shot Richard Pryor: Here & Now one year later. Three years after that he released his directorial debut, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling and centered the film on the 1980 freebasing episode and his bio.
Almost ending his life did not slow Pryor down that much. After the attempt, he made over a dozen more films and released several new records. However, multiple sclerosis did put a crimp in his style. Once he was diagnosed with the crippling disease the downward slide was steady. He still appeared on stage, but in a wheelchair usually pushed by longtime friend and writer, Paul Mooney. Pryor’s speech was impaired, and some days were better than others as far as hearing him talk. The decline stopped on December 10, 2005 when Richard Pryor passed away at the age of 65 years old.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on June 8, 1923, Master Impressionist, George Kirby was born in Chicago, IL
Kirby got started in show business at the Club DeLisa on the South Side. He cut a record as a stand-up blues singer in 1947 for Aristocrat Records. His easily accessible style and warm demeanor made him a favorite among other performers. It also made Kirby an unwitting pioneer for Civil Rights in entertainment when singer, Bobby Darin insisted Kirby open for him during his first run at the famed Copacabana, a club not known for allowing non-headlining “Negros” to perform or be in the show room. Darin and Kirby changed all that. The club forever changed its racist policy in the name of humanity and commerce.
Throughout Kirby’s career he had mixed audiences. Since he was an impressionist few could find division in laughing at familiar voices. He had universal appeal, doing impressions of white icons like John Wayne, Clark Gable and Walter Brennan and not just black performers like Nat King Cole (who he nailed). Kirby was innovative in his choice of targets. He did female singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and with a singer’s range and dexterity to pull it off flawlessly.
Television was a friend to Kirby as he worked across the board. He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show, The Temptations Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall and The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. Kirby had his own show for a short time and was a regular on The Kopycats, a show with impressionists such as Frank Gorshin, Marilyn Michaels, Charlie Callas, Fred Travalena and Rich Little acting out famous scenes doing the impressions of those actors. Kirby was riding high.
Unfortunately, success for impressionists was tenuous. Like magicians at the turn of the century the day of the public’s rapt attention to the novelty art form cooled and acts like Kirby were left staring out at more tables and chairs than patrons. Gigs dried up and Kirby, a functioning heroin addict began dealing to make up the lost income. This led to a loss of freedom. Kirby was busted and sent to prison for 42 months on a plea bargain. His career never did recover to its former glory and his health was failing. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and died of it in a Las Vegas nursing home September 30, 1995.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on June 7, 1961, Comedienne, Actress, Kym Elizabeth Whitley was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio
A former personal assistant to Arsenio Hall, Whitley merged into comedy without having to sleep on another comic’s couch or futon. She got a huge break when she toured with the stage play, Beauty Shop by Shelly Garrett in 1989. In the early 90s she hit the TV circuit and guest starred her way around the channels. Whitley appeared in Vinny and Bobby, The Parent ‘Hood, Martin, Married . . . with Children, The Wayans Bros., Moesha, That’s So Raven, Arli$$ and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She was a regular on Sparks, Black Dynamite, Animal Practice and Young and Hungry and had recurring roles on My Brother and Me, The Parkers, Let’s Stay Together and The Boondocks.
Kym Whitley got into films in 1999 in Beverly Hood. Once in she had a succession of film roles in Next Friday (where off-camera Ice Cube tricked her with real liquor in a scene and not the usual ice tea), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, House Party 4, Baby Boy, Deliver Us from Eva, Love Chronicles, Along Came Polly, The Perfect Man, Fun with Dick & Jane, College Road Trip, I Love You, Man, Rango, Transformers, We Bought a Zoo and many more.
Whitley was the co-host of the early precursor female panel discussion shows, Oh, Drama on BET. She co-hosted the talk show, The Brian McKnight Show in 2010 and in 2013 she got her own reality show, Raising Whitley on Oprah Winfrey’s network, OWN.
A civic minded individual, Whitley used her celebrity to raise public awareness on childhood food allergies. She co-created the T-shirt, “Don’t Feed Me” for children to wear to alert caregivers of the needs of that specific child. The foods they’re allergic to are printed on their shirt.
In 2004 Kym Whitley was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress (Deliver Us from Eva) by the BET Comedy Awards.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on June 5, 1981, Nice Dreams was released by Columbia Pictures
Directed by Tommy Chong this was Cheech & Chong’s third film. Nice Dreams is the simple story of two weed-heads who pretend to sell tasty confections out of their ice cream truck, but they’re really pushing weed. What else do you expect from weed-heads? Their goal is to make a lot of money, buy an island, get high and play music all day surrounded by beautiful girls. Thanks to a free stash unwittingly provided by their pot growing neighbor who lives below them – our boys are on their way. The money rolls in.
Obviously whenever there’s weed flowing the cops show up. They’re onto the boys and are on their tails, but these are movie cops meaning they don’t know squat and screwing up is the reason they’re in the movie. While one cop (Stacy Keach) smokes the weed himself in an undercover ploy, his partners arrest the weed growing neighbor and not the weed selling ice cream truck drivers. After a series of misadventures including cocaine snorting, bad check passing, an attempted threesome, a released crazy husband, naked hotel scaling, a mental institution visit, straitjacketing, LSD popping and a lizard man spotting our heroes become male strippers to fulfill their broken dream. The End.
Nice Dreams featured the talents of Paul Reubens, Sandra Bernhard, Evelyn Guerrero, Tony Cox and Timothy Leary. The film made $37 million at the box office.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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Netflix has set a premiere date for Rev Run and Justine Simmons’ new Netflix scripted family comedy, All About The Washingtons.
The date was announced to be August 10 in a new teaser for the show.
The series, first set up at ABC through ABC Signature Studios, ended up at Netflix. It is created by Jeremy Bronson (who also created ABC’s The Mayor).
The description: All About The Washingtons is an autobiographical scripted family sitcom that follows Joey Washington (Rev Run aka Joseph Simmons) and his wife Justine Washington (Justine Simmons), playing fictionalized versions of themselves raising a family of family kids. After Joey decides to retire from a long career as legendary hip-hop royalty, his wife Justine, takes advantage of the opportunity to pursue a career of her own now that Joey is available to focus on raising the kids and keeping the house in order. Their kids are portrayed by Kiana Ledé, Nathan Anderson, Leah Rose Randall and Maceo Smedley.
Watch the teaser below:
Shadow & Act
We’ve now got a a first look image of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta in Warner Bros./DC Comics’s Aquaman film
“He’s part mercenary but full-time pirate who in his suit will look like some crazy alien from outer space,” said director James Wan
While we don’t get a look at the full costume, we at least have a view of the full helmet.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director James Wan clarifies that Black Manta is not the main villain in the film (that’s Patrick Wilson’s King Orm). This sets up a bigger battle and feud between the two for later. “Black Manta is a really interesting character who is somehow factored into this story but our main story is about Jason and Patrick,” said Wan.
Aquaman, which also stars Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman and Dolph Lundgren, is in theaters this December.
Source: Shadow & Act, Entertainment Weekly
A first image has been released for Tyler Perry’s Paramount debut, Nobody’s Fool (previously titled The List).
The film is from Paramount Pictures, Paramount Players, Tyler Perry Studios and BET Films.
Trying to get back on her feet, wild child Tanya (Tiffany Haddish) looks to her buttoned-up, by the book sister Danica (Tika Sumpter) to help her get back on track. As these polar opposites collide — with hilarious and sometimes disastrous results — Tanya discovers that Danica’s picture-perfect life — including her mysterious boyfriend — may not be what it seems.
Omari Hardwick, Mehcad Brooks and Amber Riley also star.
The film is in theaters November 2.
Source: Shadow & Act
Tiffany Haddish’s latest film has been picked up!
Roadside Attractions and Topic Studios have acquired the North American rights to dark comedy, The Oath, directed by Ike Barinholtz, in which he stars with Tiffany Haddish.
The film revolves around Barinholtz and Haddish as “a husband and wife whose Thanksgiving takes a turn when two federal agents — being held captive in their living room — give the extended family something to worry about beyond their typical holiday dinner table political rifts.”
The cast also includes John Cho, Carrie Brownstein, Billy Magnussen, Meredith Hagner, Jon Barinholtz, Nora Dunn and Chris Ellis.
QC Entertainment (behind Get Out and BlackKklansman) is financing and producing.
Haddish is one of the film’s executive producers.
The film is being looked at for a fall release.
Source: SHadow & Act
SHOWTIME has ordered the comedy series BLACK MONDAY, starring and executive produced by Emmy® nominated and Golden Globe® winning actor Don Cheadle – returning to SHOWTIME after a five-season run as star and executive producer of HOUSE OF LIES – with two-time Tony Award® nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Regina Hall (Girls Trip) also leading the cast. The series was created by David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl), who will serve as executive producers and showrunners. Emmy nominees Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (Preacher, Superbad), who will also executive produce, directed the pilot. With an 10-episode order, BLACK MONDAY, a co-production between SHOWTIME and Sony Pictures Television Studios, will premiere in 2019. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO of Showtime Networks Inc.
BLACK MONDAY takes us back to October 19, 1987 – aka Black Monday, the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street. To this day, no one knows who caused it … until now. It’s the story of how a group of outsiders took on the blue-blood, old-boys club of Wall Street and ended up crashing the world’s largest financial system, a Lamborghini limousine, Don Henley’s birthday party and the glass ceiling.
“BLACK MONDAY is a scathing comic commentary on the excess of the ’80s,” Nevins said. “Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells and Regina Hall lead a hilarious cast that takes on blue-blooded Wall Street as the Bad News Bears of Wall Street trading firms.”
BLACK MONDAY also stars Paul Scheer (The League), Yassir Lester (Making History), Michael James Scott (Aladdinon Broadway) and Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island), with recurring guest star Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) and guest stars Ken Marino (Wet Hot American Summer) and Kurt Braunohler (Bunk).
A trailer has been released for the upcoming film Dog Days.
The film’s ensemble cast includes Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Tone Bell, Ron Cephas Jones, Adam Pally, Eva Longoria, Finn Wolfhard and more.
The official description: Dog Days is a hilarious and heartfelt ensemble comedy that follows the lives of multiple dog owners and their beloved fluffy pals around sunny Los Angeles. When these human and canine’s paths start to intertwine, their lives begin changing in ways they never expected.
Check out the trailer below:
Source: Shadow & Act